How to make a single layout in FileMaker that works (and looks good) on both desktop and iPad screens.

Creating and maintaining two separate sets of application screens in FileMaker — one for mobile and one for desktop — has always been a pain in the butt. While there are definitely arguments to be made for creating much simpler functionality and screen design on an iPhone, the same argument is harder to make for an iPad versus desktop interface. Believe it or not, many people these days are opting to use ONLY a tablet with an attached keyboard as their primary work machine. Often, this occurs in the same workplace, where some users are on an iPad, and others are using a desktop computer.

How many times have I been annoyed and delayed by having to ungroup something just to make a simple edit? Too many to count.

I often group many things together to aid in layout setup and positioning. Say you have a set of fields and objects that together make up a ‘widget’ or function (e.g. a custom calendar picker, or custom labeling for a radio button set, a set of fields for an address, etc), and you want to keep them all together in a particular arrangement. But then you might have to make a change to a font, or a hide condition, or a small tweak to the position of one item within the group. Now you can do all those adjustments without having to break the group and then re-group the objects when you are done!

Techniques for Making FileMaker Apps more Intuitive

The FileMaker platform enables us to build software very quickly – far less time than the typical software development cycle. With the ability to construct a working piece of software so fast, it’s easy to “rough in” a quick user interface that gets the job done (whatever that job may be), but may not be very intuitive to use.

The most intuitive software needs little or no explanation. The user intuitively knows how it works, either from visual cues, conveniently integrated documentation, or through the use of conventional UI techniques that people already understand.